Important Mi'kmaq People

Henri Membertou

Stamp issued by Canada Post in 2007

Henri Membertou was born around 1510 and died in 1611, so it was estimated that he lived over 100 years, which was was very uncommun at his time. He served as Mi'kmaq Grand Chief and spiritual leader. Membertou and his tribe were among the first people to greet the Europeans when they first came to North America. He had a very good relationship with the French, and when the French lost the charter of Acadia in 1607, they trusted Membertou to control Port Royal for 3 years while they were gone. In 1610, Membertou became the first Mi'kmaw to be baptized, along with 21 members of his family. After Membertou was baptized, it became customary for all Mi'kmaq to be baptized. Jesuit Pierre Biard wrote that he "was the greatest, most renowned and most formidable savage within the memory of man; of splendid physique, taller and larger-limbed than is usual among them; bearded like a Frenchman, although scarcely any of the others have hair upon the chin; grave and reserved; feeling a proper sense of dignity for his position as commander." There is little known information about Membertou because the Mi'kmaq did not keep records. All that we know about Membertou is based on documents that were written by the Europeans.